Heck, Moira!We do this all the time. Some fellows go all apoplectic when you mention bait piles. I know this one fellow that all you have to do is mention Ted Nuge... Nugen. . .Ted NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

THWACK!

.. . and my wife has to come hit me on on the head with a ball peen hammer to get me to stop.

This has been a most thought provoking post and I love the ideas put into the posts whether I agree or disagree with them. While everyone here will agree on some things, at the same time we all realize, we don't have to agree on everything and for that we all become better people because we understand different beliefs, morals, and fundamentals and respect one another (which may or may not be attributed at least in some respects to the responsibliities of being gun owners).

My 2 cents...

A guy kills 20 innocent children with guns in a school and it's a huge tragedy and people are all up in arms and want to ban guns. Another guy kills over 100 innocent children in a drone attack and he wins "man of the year".Both instances are without a doubt tragedies and my heart goes out to everyone who has been affected. In my eyes one is not really different than the other, loss of innocent life. The only thing that changes the way the events are interpreted in my mind is the motivation and/or intent. That, in my opinion, is the variable that we as individuals can not change no matter how many laws, restrictions, bans we put on guns and so my thought is "Why punish a bunch of people for the actions of a few that we have no control over?"

I don't think guns should be banned in any form from auto to semi auto to single shot to double barrel etc. (I'm a lefty in almost every way of life by the way but I never take offense to the stereotypes generally associated with a leftist view because I feel strongly for some righty fundamentals as well) Guns were built to protect a person and his/her family, to hunt and provide for a person and his/her family, for somone to have a hobby (shooting), and in some instances could even be looked at as a piece of art and for that reason carry historic values (gun collectors).

I am a firm believer in guns don't kill people, people kill people. Could we "curb" the amount of rounds a gun holds, sure, but will it stop shootings from happening, I don't believe so. Could we limit the rate of fire for guns and "curb" the amount of people affected at a single incident, sure, but it will not stop shootings from happening. Could we put more stringent background checks on individuals and it will "curb" the amount of incidents, to me this is a maybe because people who commit these horrific acts will always get guns whether legally or illegally. Is any one mass shooting any less tragic than the other, in my opinion no. 3 people killed or 20 people killed or 100 people killed it's still a loss of life and it hurts and one tragedy in my mind doesn't "outweigh" the other.

A man, much older than myself, once told me..."You know what laws do, they keep the honest person honest."

That statement rings true to me more than anything, and as an honest person (at least I hope people view me as such) I would never want any ban of any firearm to infringe with the 2A for my sake or yours. These tragedies happen, they will happen, and they will continue to happen via guns, bombs, airplanes, bio-chemicals, anthrax, etc and in most instances there is very little the average person can do about it except be prepared yourself.

Sorry for any offence I may cause to individuals, these are my beliefs and mine alone. I know some will agree with parts and some not at all. I respect the opinions I have read on here and even if I don't agree with yours as a whole or just parts, I think I understand the arguments and rationale behind those opinions enough to merit sound judgement and for those reasons they shouldn't be cast aside as wrong, awful, etc. just differnent than my own.

That's a horrible event Xmatax. Can't even wrap my mind around it.As for being a liberal, there are lots of them that feel the same way you do. Just because one is liberal in some ways does not mean that they hate everything that we believe in. Labeling all "liberals" as tree huggers is not different than labeling "gun lovers" as well, you know...

^ I think that is the problem. We are refusing to wrap our minds around the issue and search for solutions.

This one hits close to home for me. I learned of the event while I myself was in a burning building about an hour ago. Some of the other guys were talking about it as we checked for hot spots in an apartment fire. I checked the headlines when I got back to the station and saw that the wounded firefighter is in the hospital I was born in. Armed guards in schools would not have helped those guys.

Eveyone is pointing the finger at the "other guy" and refusing to acknowlege that WE have a problem. You can denounce me or tell me I'm on a high horse, but you can't deny that this is getting worse and not better. Stay on the track we are on and it will eventually hit close to everyone.

Look JPH...My statement was an expression of empathy, not an admission that I was unable to comprehend the dynamics of the situation. If you are now going to feel the need to twist my words to further your agenda. Stop.

Ohio farms wrote:My statement was an expression of empathy, not an admission that I was unable to comprehend the dynamics of the situation....

So are you?

The rash of mass shootings is a runaway train. My answer may not be the right one but it is at least a gun owner showing a willingness to consider another path, beyond the same NRA mantra we have repeated for decades.

I will say it in the face of your insults and demads that I apologize because you don't like my opinions. Something has to change.

JPH, my reaction had nothing to do with your opinion regarding gun control, it had to do with your statement of assigning blame for the shootings. This has gotten way beyond my intention. I was angry at that statement and took it very personally. I do regret where this has gone. It is Christmas Eve. Peace to you and your family.Dennis